Author's Note: So, here we are, beginning of the war. Of course, since some people aren't dead like they are in the manga (i.e Asuma) I had to alter some things. Though, I'm sure you'll be pleased anyway. Anyway, I've typed the first few chapters of this arc and have big surprises in store. Anyway, enough with my rant. I'm alive, I still type this story, I don't own Naruto, and now here's the story. Enjoy.
Kaibunkage
Arc III
Chapter I
"People's lives don't end when they die. It ends when they lose faith."
- Former leader of Amegakure, Salamander Hanzō
Kankuro looked at Mitarashi Anko.
"According to Jiraiya's spies," Anko said. "There was a large number of 'plant men' underground. As soon as we get to their hideout, we need to send for back-up ASAP."
Kankuro nodded. "That's the plan." Kankuro then looked at the worried looking Omoi. "Oi! Get your head in the game! I don't need you killed because you're spacing out!"
"This is his first war. Of course he's nervous." Guren stated. "But he shouldn't be. We'll get out of this-"
"Get down!" Anko called.
Explosions ran throughout the area, Guren protecting her team with her Crystal Release: Crystal Encampment Wall technique. When the large dome of pink crystal slowly descended, Kankuro clearly saw his enemy in the air.
"Deidara!" Ittan, a shinobi from Iwa, shouted.
"And he's not alone." Kankuro said. "Get ready team! This battle will determine who gets the first victory in this war!"
"Are you sure it was wise to split the division?" Guy asked Sakura as he ran behind her.
Sakura nodded. "Jiraiya has made it clear that we're going to back up Kankuro's team. He's strong enough to handle his own with the men and women with him. Our agenda is to support our teammates."
"Look alive, I see enemy shinobi coming." Kakashi stated.
Sakura nodded. "I sense them as well." Her eyes narrowed. "Get ready team!"
Sakura suddenly stopped, a number of thick white bones erupting from the ground to impale any unsuspecting shinobi. Growling, Sakura punched the bone, shattering it instantly.
"Impressive. No one has ever done that before." the voice of Kaguya Kimimaro said.
"Impure World Reincarnation," Kakashi noted.
"Go!" Sakura ordered as her team attacked the men and women from Ame and Ishi alike.
"I will take out the bone-user," Lee announced.
"Lee-"
"This is a rematch that I have long wished for." Lee said, interrupting Guy. Sakura gave Lee a nod to show that she approved. "I will not let you down Sakura-chan!"
"Look out!" Sakura did not know who warned her, but she instantly brought a kunai to block the blade that was coming for her. She barely made it in time, staring at her attacker directly in the eye.
"The little pink-haired girl… My, you've grown…"Sakura's eyes narrowed.
"Momochi Zabuza." she replied. "That can only mean that your friend is here as well."
"We can-"
"Take three and find Kankuro." Kakashi was surprised by Sakura's words. "I let you guys do all the work last time we fought Zabuza and Haku." Haku revealed himself behind Zabuza, also shocked by Sakura's words. Sakura pushed Zabuza back and smirked. "This time, I'm taking the lead!"
Guren flipped backwards before holding a hand seal. She saw her opponent, Matsuo, coming for her and shot several darts of pink crystal at him. The man held his hands up, a thick layer of diamond forming in front of him to protect him. Guren watched as her Crystal Bullets bounced off of his Diamond Shield unable to make a scratch in it.
"Dammit…" she muttered as Matsuo ran for her again, forming a blade of diamond.
Guren formed a sword of crystal as well, engaging the man in a crystal/diamond swordfight.
"You're good for a woman." Matsuo commented. "Too bad you played a role in my father's death!"
Guren went for a slice that would have cut Matsuo in half, but the man quickly put space between them. Guren saw him hold his left hand in the air, a glass disc forming above it.
"Diamond and Glass Release?" she asked herself as he tossed his Sawing Glass Ring.
Guren took aim and shattered the glass with her crystal blade. With a few hand seals, she fired snowflake-like shuriken made of crystals at Matsuo (Crystal Release: Hexagonal Shuriken). Matsuo dodged with ease coming for Guren again. Guren quickly formed a blade around each forearm (Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Blade) and moved to slash him. Matsuo mimicked her technique, though using diamond instead, and met her blows half-way.
"You… Can… Not… Win!" Matsuo said in-between their blows.
Guren went for another slash, only for a first of diamond to sprout from the ground and knock her directly in the air. After a few flips, she created a dragon of crystal and stayed airborn. For a moment, she was seeing three of her opponent, but soon regained focus.
"You can't outrun me! I will have my vengeance!" Matsuo shouted, firing several needles of diamond (Diamond Release: Diamond Needles) at Guren.
Guren flew up higher, trying to think of some way to defeat this man. She remembered that Yukimaru was in Demon Country, attempting to master his biju. If she died before he could show her what he had learned, she would never forgive herself.
"I can't die." she stated. "I will defeat him, by any means necessary."
"I'm getting a message," one of the men told Inoichi. "It's from the Third Division." At the sound of this, Naruto, who sat stood with the other kage, frowned. That was Sakura's division. "The enemy has resurrected deceased shinobi. The Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist to be exact. They're being attacked and… Sakura… Sakura is fighting Momochi Zabuza and his partner, Yuki Haku, by herself."
Naruto let out a quiet growl. "Where is Jiraiya?"
"The Third Division split, Sakura's team going to back-up Kankuro-san." the man stated.
Naruto stood quietly for a moment. In his mind, he was berating Sakura and Jiraiya for such a move without telling him first. And to think, he had just warned her on being careful and she does this. When they returned to Kemuri, he was going to give her a dose of her own medicine and give her the "be more careful" lecture.
"Where is the Fifth Division?" he asked, trying to keep his personal thoughts out of his decision making.
"Nearby. Should I send the entire group their way?" the man asked.
"It would be the smartest thing." Shikaku said. "We don't need your team out there yet, Kaibunkage-sama."
"He's right." Tsunade added.
"Send them then." Naruto told Inoichi, who began to relay the message. "Let's hope you guys are right."
"You should prepare seals to stop those that were summoned." Ē said. "You are the best at fuinjutsu that we have and the only one amongst us who actually knows that cursed technique."
Naruto nodded. "I'll get right on that. Akane," The redhead woman stood at the ready. "Keep me posted."
"Hai, Lord Kaibunkage." she said.
Sakura dodged the famed blade of Zabuza and backed away. Her best chance against him would be a strictly taijutsu match where her power could come into play. However, with his blade, she was stuck using ninjutsu and genjutsu that Haku quickly came to the rescue of.
"You're too slow, Sakura-san." Haku said moving towards Sakura, who had her back towards him. "If you're not careful, I will kill you."
Haku was immensely shocked when Sakura's body dispelled in a puff of smoke, revealing it to be a Shadow Clone. He was then engulfed by a large flame made by the real Sakura.
"That was a smart move, however," Sakura groaned as she saw Haku heal. "I can't be killed. I'm already dead, remember?"
"You're going to have to defeat us." Zabuza told Sakura. "Stop us anyway how."
Sakura nodded. "I intend to."
And with that she tapped into the power of her Yin Seal Release. With her new boost of speed and strength, Sakura took her right fist and slammed it into the ground. Rocks of different shapes and sizes scattered around Sakurka, the ground around her cratering. Haku, who was nearest to her, began to backtrack before getting struck by one of the firing rocks or sunk in the fissure.
Once Haku and Zabuza were able to regroup at a safe location, they looked at Sakura.
"She's gotten stronger…" Haku commented, mostly referring to her skills than her strength.
"Doesn't matter." Zabuza said doing hand seals. "Soon it'll be all over."
Sakura watched as the heavy mist began to cover the area. She actually smirked at the scene though.
Who'd thought Mei's training would pay off so soon?
Deidara laughed as he watched a Smoke Nin explode from one of his bombs.
"Damn! This isn't looking good!" Anko told Kankuro. "We need to get him down!"
Kankuro glared at Deidara. "Or get us up there. Ittan!"
"Hai!" Ittan said doing hand seals. "Hold on!"
Ittan used the Earth Release: Moving Earth Core to lift Anko, Kankuro, and himself towards Deidara.
"Iwa…" Deidara muttered as he attempted to fly higher.
"No you don't!" Kankuro shouted as he launched a number of chakra strings towards the reanimated man.
"Shit!" Deidara cursed as Kankuro began to reel the man in. "Let go you cheap copy, yeah!"
Kankuro hated being referred to as a 'cheap copy' but had little time to respond as Anko tackled him out of the way of the large explosion that came from Deidara's bird. Ittan, fortunately, was able to get himself out of harm's way. Deidara collided with the land that had been raised and stood up.
"That hurt, hmm." he stated before seeing his three opponents stand. He eyed Kankuro with a small sneer. "Master Sasori should have killed you, hmm. I guess I'll have to pick up where he left off!"
Kankuro spotted a number of clay spiders making their way for him and his teammates. Anko stood in front of him, thrusting her right hand forward. A large number of snakes shot forth from her sleeve, (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands), darting for the spiders. Once snake met spider, miniature explosions occurred, detonating the clay before Deidara wanted to.
Using the smoke from the explosion as a diversion, Anko took initiative and charged for the revived Akatsuki member. She was seconds away from launching a close range attack when a faster opponent knocked her backwards. Sliding on her back for a few feet, she instantly flipped onto her feet to see who it was, fear sinking into her when she did.
"S-S-Sakumo…" she stuttered.
"The Legendary White Fang!" Ittan added.
Hatake Sakumo stared at the three.
"Tell me," Sakumo said to them. "Your hitai-ate says 'shinobi', but what village do you hail from?"
"The villages have joined together," Deidara explained to Sakumo, having being summoned before the White Fang. "They're all 'one team' now, hmm."
"I see." Sakumo said before revealing a blade that began to emit a white chakra. "And our mission is to eliminate them?"
"This is war." Deidara answered blandly.
"This isn't going to end well…" Ittan muttered.
"Don't give up just yet." Kankuro said. "It's still two on three up here."
Anko nodded, though she knew how hopeless this match-up was. Sakumo, in his prime, could take out all three of them if he wanted to. Their only chance for survival now was to somehow get Sakumo to make one mistake and capatilize on that. The problem would be Deidara, who would make up for whatever Sakumo did lack.
If he lacked anything at all.
Lee stumbled back a few steps after Kimimaro's foot connected with his face.
"Impressive, Kimimaro-san." Lee complimented.
"Stop praising me and fight me!" Kimimaro shouted as his Curse Seal began to take over.
"I see…" Lee said. "This will not be like last time! I am at a hundred and fifty percent! I cannot lose!" Kimimaro, now in his Level One form, stared as Lee began to build up chakra. "Gate of Healing! Kai!"
Kimimaro gave a small nod. He knew that Lee was serious now, instead of the light spar that the two had been doing earlier. And without another word or gesture, the two took off for each other, both moving faster than the naked eye could track.
Colliding with one another several times, Lee attempted to land a flush blow on Kimimaro while dodging the bone javelin that shot from the Kaguya's forearms. Lee was able to counter the bone blade with a kunai in each hand, though he knew that this defense would not last long. And with that thought in mind, Lee tossed both kunai at Kimimaro. In the split second that Kimimaro took out to worry about the blades, Lee was able to land a bone shattering punch that sent his opponent flying backwards.
"Yosh! This is the end!" Lee said coming for Kimimaro again. He was unprepared for a tail made of pure bone to wrap around him. "Wha-"
Kimimaro slung Lee away from him, his Curse Seal going into its second stage.
"This battle is nowhere near over." Kimimaro said before lashing his tail out for Lee again.
Lee flipped away from the tail, the blow making a small indentation in the ground. Kimimaro retracted his tail and glared at his opponent.
"Are you ready?" Kimimaro asked. Lee nodded. "Then it's time to make up for that weak battle you gave me years ago!"
Guren rolled out of the way of Matsuo's diamond sledgehammer. Forming a javelin of pink crystal around her right arm, she charged for the man with the intentions of spearing him directly through his heart. The Smoke kunoichi was thoroughly surprised when her attack landed until Matsuo's body shattered into tiny pieces of glass Glass Clone.
"Dammit…" Guren muttered as she shielded her face from the glass shards. "Where is he?"
Matsuo slowly burrowed his way above ground, now behind Guren. He smirked before hearing a slightly sadistic laugh come from the woman.
"Got you!" she shouted as hundreds of crystal mirrors raised around him, one coming in-between him and Guren. "Now you'll see the power of Kemuri!"
Matsuo looked around. "What kind of cheap trick is this, woman?"
"A deadly one." Matsuo saw as Guren's image formed in the mirrors around him, each with a smirk.
Matsuo was slightly shocked when the images of Guren emerged from the mirror as solid clones (Jade Crystal Clone Technique). Each clone was equipped with their own crystal blade. Matsuo's body let off a blue glow before his skin turned into pure diamonds (Diamond Body Armor). This caused Guren's clones to momentarily freeze in their attack as Matsuo stood frozen. They wanted to know if he was mobile while in this form or if they were walking into a trap. They got their answer when Matsuo charged for the three in front of him.
"You can't harm me!" he shouted.
The three clones went to attack him, only for the man to run directly through them, knocking them onto the ground. Matsuo kept his charge, shattering through the mirror in front of him to be released from the trap Guren previously had him in.
Guren, now with her remaining four clones, stared at the man from Ishi. While Matsuo barged through her first set of clones, she had attempted to materialize his diamond into her crystal. However, she was unable to. That meant that every Diamond Release technique he used, Guren would be unable to alter it.
"Your Crystal Release is pathetic." Matsuo said doing a series of hand seals. "It is nothing compared to my Diamond Release!"
Guren would have argued if she could. The truth was his diamonds could shatter her crystals while her crystals could not scratch his diamonds.
"I will show you power that even my father feared!" Matsuo said as he finished his hand seals and clapped his hands together.
Guren watched as his skin started to revert to its normal self, a cube of chakra being formed in-between Matsuo's hands.
"This…" Guren muttered.
"Diamond Dust Particle Consumption!" Matsuo shouted as the diamond-infused chakra that was formed in the cube shot for Guren in the form of a powerful blast.
Kankuro heard the explosion and grunted. If his team gained any more injuries, this would be a quick match. It was bad enough that his current opponent was the Hatake Sakumo and that the man had a replica of his famed blade. But he had to deal with Deidara dropping bombs from above as well as keeping track of his team.
"Kankuro! Look out!" Anko called.
Kankuro saw Sakumo coming for him. He was going to brace for impact, only for Omoi to block the blow with a blade.
"Lord Kaibunkage said it best…" Omoi said. "We are all one unit now. I can't let my captain die!"
Kankuro took the chance to bring out one of his new puppets, Tsuchigumo. The large spider-like armor opened a large hatch in the back, allowing Kankuro to step into it and close it. Kankuro stood, now surrounded in the puppet armor. There were four "legs" that shot from the back of the puppet while his face was covered in the metal, the two "eyes" in the face replicating that of a spider's.
Spotting an enemy coming behind Omoi, Kankuro shot chakra strings from the tips of his fingers, grabbing the man. He pulled the man towards him, using the two "upper legs" of the spider puppet to impale him. Once the legs shot through the man's back and chest, he withdrew them to find Deidara.
"We can't let them win." Kankuro said to himself.
Zabuza's face became distorted as Sakura's fist met his right cheek and launched him backwards. The swordsman's body rolled on the ground with his blade sliding beside him. After a moment man and sword came to a stop. He stood up seeing the annoyed woman and smirked to himself.
"You should probably get that checked." he said, motioning his head to her bleeding left arm.
Sakura created a Shadow Clone, both she and her copy doing different hand seals. After completed, she used the combination technique, Fire and Earth: Magma Covering. In her mind, she continued to warn herself from spreading too much of the fiery goo or lest the attack would hit a comrade instead of her intended targets. She was a little ticked when Haku came to Zabuza's aid, but soon realized who it was and why he did it. There was more than comradeship between these two, they were family.
"Sakura-san!" Sakura ended her technique and gave Mifune a small glance.
"Don't interefere." Sakura ordered. "Defeat the other swordsmen. Leave these two to me and find Kankuro's team."
Mifune nodded. "Hai." And with that took off to do what he was told, knowing from Naruto that Sakura was more than capable of handling her in battle.
Sakura saw her two opponents coming for her and held a hand seal. When Zabuza's blade met Sakura's stomach, the kunoichi exploded into a thousand pink petals. Zabuza and Haku looked around, seeing nothing but pink petals falling all around them (Dancing Sakura Petals).
"She's gotten good in genjutsu." Haku commented.
Zabuza nodded. "She isn't that little girl from our first meeting, that's for sure."
Sakura eyed her two opponents and realized that separately, she could easily outpower Haku if given the chance and then hit Zabuza with her Seduction Eye Technique. From there, she was stuck. The last time Sakura fought against someone summoned from the dead was Shion and she did not defeat Shion, she and Naruto defeated Aku. That being said, her true target wasn't those who were summoned by the one who summoned them. And she currently did not know who summoned her opponents.
"Giving up already?" Sakura slowly ended her genjutsu, preparing her strike. She brought one of her special lightning-enhanced kunai to her side and pumped chakra into it. "Come on out little girl. You can't hide forever."
Sakura pushed out more chakra, transferring her version of the Chidori into a fully qualified Lighntning Blade. She waited for Zabuza to finish his statement before taking off for the back of the Ice-user. She wanted to take Haku out first since fighting Zabuza was going to take all of our focus. However, before she could reach Haku, Zabuza stepped in-between the two and took the attack directly in his chest, Sakura's hand shoot straight out through his back.
"Z-Zabuza-sama!" Haku called.
Sakura was completely frozen at the twist of events. She watched as Zabuza dropped his blade.
"Haku," Zabuza stated with a grin. "It looks like this time, I was able to save you after all. I only hope that this has earned your forgiveness."
Sakura yanked her arm from Zabuza and hopped away from him. She watched the man collapse onto the ground, Haku standing near the fallen swordsman. The pink-haired medic watched as Zabuza's body began to decay. Her green eyes then turned to Haku, who glared at her.
"Why… Why do I not feel anything?" Sakura took a step backwards, preparing for Haku's attack. "Sakura-san, my body… It's being taken over completely… Please…" Haku paused in his plea. "Please kill me so that I may be with Zabuza-sama again!"
Sakura gave Haku a nod. "I promise, Haku."
Guren looked around her. Everything had been decimated. The allies and foes that were behind her before the blast, were gone as well as the trees that once surrounded her. All that remained were tiny diamond particles that floated in the air. She had managed to dodge the attack at the last second at the cost of her left hand.
She then turned her attention to her opponent, who was panting lightly. She realized that a jutsu of that size took a chunk of chakra away. But most importantly, he was unable to use his Diamond Body Armor now.
"Drawbacks…" Guren muttered to herself.
"Damn bitch! Die already!" Matsuo called before throwing a Sawing Glass Disc at his one-handed opponent.
Guren grunted before raising her right arm in front of her. Matsuo watched in annoyance as his glass blade soon became a jade crystal blade and transformed into a dragon. Guren pointed her Jade Crystal Dragon towards Matsuo, the beast roaring as it came towards him. Forming a glass disc beneath him, he rose in the air to dodge her attack.
Guren created a crystal hand to replace her left hand. It was a bit weird, but she knew that now was not the time to complain about her body's disfigurement. Taking her right hand and holding it above her, Guren created a large crystal shuriken (Crystal: Giant Hexagonal Shuriken). Taking aim, she tossed it at Matsuo. She was wondering if Matsuo would turn her attack into diamond or simply dodge it. Her answer came when he moved to the side.
"That's it," Guren said quietly. "He can't use his Diamond Release now. This is my only chance."
Matsuo saw Guren form a series of hand seals with her one natural hand, a large crystal dragon forming beneath her and rising towards him.
"You won't get away this time!" Guren said forming a javelin around her left arm.
Matsuo grunted. It would be a while until he could use his Diamond Release again and Glass Release would just shatter if he went up against her head-on. He would have to keep dodging to buy him more time. That plan would seem harder now that Guren was throwing several Hexagonal Shuriken at her opponent.
"You can't outrun me!" Guren called.
Matsuo did not respond. He would only need three more minutes.
Deidara watched in awe as another Oto shinobi was pulled beneath the ground by Kankuro. The puppet user was underground, still encased in his Tsuchigumo armor. Deidara hated to admit it, but Kankuro's skills would probably rival Sasori's one day, if not surpass them.
"Come out here and fight you weak bastard!" Deidara taunted from the air. He knew that if Kankuro pulled him in he would be in some serious trouble. "Let me show you what real art is, hmm!"
Small spider-shaped clay bombs rained from sky, attempting to blow up Kankuro and anyone else that was there.
Anko, who had dodged one of the explosions, glared up at Deidara.
"Anko-san," Omoi said gaining her attention. "We have other problems."
Sakumo came at the two with his blade ready to strike. Omoi was able to parry the attack with his sword but soon backtracked, knowing a superior swordsman when he saw it. Anko took that time to use the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands. She was seconds away from smiling when she saw the snakes wrap around and bite their opponent, until Sakumo's body was replaced by a log.
"Substitution?" Anko murmured as her eyes scanned the area. "Then where is he…?"
"Konoha Secret Killing Technique," Anko's body froze as she heard the voice of her opponent behind her. "A Hundred Years of Pain!"
Anko froze before feeling the ground beneath her sprout upwards, Sakumo's attack going into the earth pillar the lifted the tokubetsu jonin. Sakumo pulled his blade from the pillar and began moving for Anko. Anko tossed three kunai at him, he dodging them with ease until he saw her inhale.
"Wire…" Sakumo said as he saw the thin wire reflect sunlight beside him.
Anko exhaled a rush of flames, thinking of doing nothing but obliterating the legendary White Fang with her Dragon Fire Technique. When she was certain that she caught her target, she ended her attack and took in a deep breath to regulate her nerves.
"You missed." Anko looked downwards, left of where her attack landed. There stood Sakumo, his right arm slightly burned. "But that was pretty impressive. Your aim is remarkable, especially for one without a dojutsu."
"I'm flattered." Anko replied.
"Anko-san," Ittan said. "Prepare. We're going to take him out right now so we can back up Guren-san!"
"Hai." Anko responded.
Sakumo grinned. "Then come at me with the intent to kill. That is the only way you have in succeeding in your plans."
Anko took out a kunai and licked it. "I plan to."
Kimimaro was annoyed. No, scratch that. Kimimaro was pissed! Sure, he had suspected Lee's abilities to have grown since their last meeting, but not by this much! Lee was practically unstoppable at close range, something Kimimaro once dominated. Now Lee had bested Kimimaro in taijutsu, though the Leaf shinobi had opened the fourth gate now.
"You… You can't win…" Kimimaro said angrily while catching his breath. "You're trash! You're nothing!"
"Please surrender now before more damage occurs." Lee stated while standing calmly in the Goken stance.
"Never!" Kimimaro shouted as bones erupted from the ground (Dance of the Seedling Fern).
Lee began to backtrack at a fast pace, actually dodging the bones that shot from the ground. The green-clad ninja hopped in the air and held a single hand seal.
"Gate of View, kai!" Lee shouted before landing on a safe spot of earth. He held his left hand in front of him. "Morning Lion!"
Lee held his left hand in front of him, his palm facing Kimimaro, before taking his right hand and quickly swiping the underside of his wrist. The sheer speed and power created a large blast of air pressure that was ignited by the friction built on one swipe. The blast was shaped in the form of a lion that decimated everything in its path as it "swallowed" the field.
Kimimaro could only brace himself for what he knew was the end. Lee had grown stronger over the years to a level Kimimaro could not compete. What was worse was the fact that Lee could only use taijutsu while Kimimaro had ninjutsu as well as a bloodline limit. Maybe, Kimimaro thought, knowing genjutsu would have been the way to defeat Lee.
After the wind and light from the attack died down, Lee stood over Kimimaro, steam streaming off of his body.
"You fought valiantly, but in the end, the Flames of Youth managed to prevail." Lee said as Lee shot a flare to signal the Sealing Team.
Flames of Youth? Could that philosophy be stronger than his devotion to Orochimaru? Was that the real reason Lee won this bout? It was insane, but it could be the reason.
Couldn't it?
Haku slid backwards before sending several needles at Sakura. Sakura dodged them before using her Prepared Needle Shot and spitting four needles of her own. Unsurprisingly, none of them landed with the nimble Yuki.
"You're becoming annoying…" Sakura said quietly as her seal changed to its Yang Seal Release.
Haku glared at Sakura before the woman vanished in a pink blur. Haku was unprepared when Sakura's fist met his face, knocking the boy clear off of his feet. Haku's body bounced and rolled off of the ground before sliding into a nearby tree. Standing up, the Ice user saw Sakura preparing another Chidori.
"It was you and Zabuza," Sakura said to Haku. "That made me realize that I needed to be stronger. Every time I think about Sasuke almost dying and Naruto having to pick up for my lack of abilities, I get frustrated at my former self." Haku saw the lightning start to surround her right arm. "And it pisses me off!"
Haku felt Kabuto leave his body. While he hated to admit it, Kabuto was not an idiot. There was no possible way, controlled or not, that Haku would dodge this attack. Worst of all Sakura had appeared behind Haku and stabbed him with her version of the Chidori technique.
"…" There was silence between combatants before Haku let out a sigh. "It was you that he wanted to protect, wasn't it?"
Sakura stared firmly in front of her, looking over Haku's shoulder.
"Yes." she answered.
Haku smiled as snowflakes began to fall around the area. "Then he must be alive, stronger than ever. If you're this powerful, I can only imagine how powerful Naruto has gotten to protect you."
Sakura did not respond. Her fear was the very thing she grew stronger to prevent; Naruto coming to her aid. If Naruto took a blow for her, particularly a blow from the very move she was using now, then he would most likely die.
"Sakura-san, we can take it from here!" a member of the Sealing Team that accompanied her said.
"Who knows," Haku said before closing his eyes. "Maybe you will be like Zabuza-sama and be able to protect him for once?"
Sakura removed her kunai from Haku and allowed the Sealing Team to wrap him up in seals to disable him.
"It is my sworn duty… As a Smoke shinobi and lover…" she mumbled to Haku before looking at the fuinjutsu-user from Suna. "Where are the others?"
"We're having trouble defeating the other swordsmen." he replied. Sakura nodded. "Kageno-" Was all he got out before Sakura dashed off quickly. "Wow… She's fast."
Matsuo gasped as he heard the glass shatter from beneath him. He was now free falling with nothing to stop or slow down his descent. Worst, there was a large jade crystal spear looking to impale him once he hit the ground.
Guren could not have been happier at the thoughts of her opponent killed in front of her. And then her glee was ruined when she heard and saw her crystal shatter by Matsuo's body. The current leader of Ishigakure no Sato raised using his Diamond Body Armor.
"That was close…" Matsuo said before glaring at Guren. "Now that I have my Diamond Release again, I can finish you!"
Guren stared at Matsuo before turning her crystal hand into a sharp lance.
"We're here to help you, Guren-san!" Guren did not even acknowledge the female voice behind her. She did, however, notice the move the woman did. The Smoke Hide Jutsu. "Go get him Guren-san!"
Guren stood in her spot, changing her crystal hand back into a hand before doing hand seals. While she was becoming desperate on how to destroy Matsuo's diamonds, she knew that she now had back-up and would not have to face him along. A part of her hated that thought, but the reality was, she could not best his Diamond Release.
Or at least, not with the moves she was using.
"Guren-san…" the Smoke Nin behind Guren stated as she witness Guren's chakra becoming visible.
A large clear crystal appeared in front of Guren. Guren waited for the smoke to clear, Matsuo still standing in his original position. Guren placed her hands on the crystal in front of her, channeling her chakra into it. The crystal began to glow from power before releasing the chakra in a large blast towards Matsuo (Crystal Release: Force of Light).
Matsuo stood his ground, protruding his chest to take the impact there. Guren and the kunoichi behind her watched as the attack hit Matsuo, the man sliding backwards before his feet anchored into the ground.
"Haven't… You… Heard?" Matsuo grunted against the force. "Diamond… Reflects… Light!"
Guren and her fellow Kemuri shinobi were both blown backwards by a colorful blast that shot from Matsuo's body. Lying on her back, Guren thought about where she went wrong. There had to be a flaw in her battling strategy that allowed Matsuo to one-up her every time.
"You've lost," Guren turned her head to see Matsuo's skin reverting back to normal. "And you know it."
"I don't think you know the power of the Hidden Smoke Village." Guren replied, as a crystal stake shot from the ground, impaling Matsuo. "We never give up."
"You… You bitch…" Matsuo stammered. "You knew…"
"Every jutsu has its drawbacks. And to reflect such a strong and direct attack like that, I knew it would cause you to revert back to yourself." Guren said before the crystal spear began to shatter. "However… I drew too much chakra out of me…"
"And you're being crystallized by my diamonds." Matsuo said. "You're going to die, just like me."
Guren wanted to argue back, but again, he had a point. She had been living with those thoughts since losing her left hand. She had analyzed his Diamond Particle Consumption Technique thoroughly now. Even if the blast did not completely obliterate its target, if it nicked the attended target, like it did her, then the diamond particles could seep inside and destroy the opponent from the inside out. Moving her left arm had become a taxing task as it seemed heavier now.
"Yukimaru…" Guren thought aloud as she closed her eyes.
Anko held Omoi up, his arm slung around her neck as she attempted to carry him away from Sakumo.
"We're not going to make it." The Leaf kunoichi muttered beneath her breath.
"Don't say that." Omoi replied.
Anko smirked. "When'd you grow optimistic?" Anko paused when she sinced Sakumo's presence descended on them and turned upwards. "Shit!"
Anko and Omoi were both shocked at the sight that happened next. It appeared that Sakumo had been stopped by himself, the two blurs of white separating before they got a look at their savior.
"Kakashi/Kakashi-san!" Anko and Omoi called in unison.
Kakashi revealed his three-tomoe Sharingan.
"Son?" Sakumo questioned.
"Anko, get him out of here." Kakashi said in a firm tone. "I have some unfinished business with my father." Anko had never heard Kakashi's voice hold so much resentment in it and wondered if he was who he appeared to be. "Those who break the rules are trash, and those who abandon their friends are worse than trash… But those who abandon their children…"
Sakumo soon understood where Kakashi's anger was coming from and didn't blame him. He had abandoned his son due to his own depression.
"Kakashi…" Sakumo was completely speechless.
"Minato-sensei placed a heavy burden on his son, sacrificing his life to place the Nine-tailed Fox within his son. Still, he did it because he knew that Naruto would someday hone the power of the fox and use it for the better of mankind." stated Kakashi. "What's your excuse? Why did you place this burden on me?"
"Kakashi, my son, forgive me." Sakumo stated. Kakashi just stood with a small glare. "I see. There's no other way around this." Kakashi spotted the replica of Sakumo's White Light Chakra Sabre. "Then show me how much you've grown."
"This won't be like when I was younger," Kakashi said closing his right eye. "This time, I will defeat you."
Sakumo smiled briefly as he envisioned a younger version of his son in front of him. While he wondered how much his son had grown on the battlefield, he also wanted to know how much he had grown mentally and emotionally.
Without another word, father and son charged for one another to begin a battle they both regretted already.
Author's Note: So there we go, chapter one of the Shinobi World War Arc. Of course, in the manga it was Shin and Sasori that got emotional and passed on, but since Sasori is alive in the story, I changed it to Zabuza. Either way, more to come much sooner, next week at some time. Till then.